Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The yearly sightings have already begun in
Banderas Bay with a parade of impressive mammals that traveled very long
distances from the north to warmer waters so they could give birth to their
calves.

Every year they arrive in Banderas Bay after an impressive
16-thousand-kilometer trip from the Arctic in search of warmer waters to give
birth to their calves. These humpback whales are the region’s most faithful
visitors, and one of the top natural and tourism attractions in the Riviera
Nayarit.

The parade of these marine giants started at the beginning of December
and they’re already being admired by hundreds of tourists, with tail splashes
and spectacular leaps that show off most of their huge bodies outside the
water.

The arrival of the whales marks the start of the whale-watching season,
and there are several companies and boats certified to offer this service. This
is one of the most popular tours with visitors and an experience no traveler
should miss.

The 2017-2018 season in Banderas Bay officially began December 8th
with the awarding of permits to the tourism service providers on behalf of the
Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and will conclude in
mid-March. Nayarit handed in 134 observation requests and Jalisco 128.

Protected species

Roberto Rodríguez Medrano, head of the Nayarit branch of the Semarnat,
informed the humpback whale is a protected species and therefore all
whale-watching activity is regulated by NOM-131-SEMARNAT-2010, which
establishes the guidelines and specifications for its protection and the
conservation of its habitat.

He added the boats must be certified to provide the service,
guaranteeing they will respect the distance they must maintain to safeguard
these cetaceans. Touching or feeding the whales is prohibited, but they’re curious
and often provide quite the spectacle for their viewers.

This activity has an important economic relevance in the municipalities
of Bahía de Banderas, Compostela, San Blas and Santiago Ixcuintla. Part of the
service providers’ commitment is to assist a yearly training course offered by
the Semarnat. Once finished, they receive their permit and a banner identifying
them as trained to guarantee the safety of both tourists and whales. Punta Mita
Expeditions is one of the companies that promote whale-watching tours in the
Riviera Nayarit, and their naturalist guides recommend visitors be very patient
and present during the sightings.

The first sign in locating them is the blowhole spray that explodes when
the whales reach the surface to breathe. After a few inhalations they submerge
again, bending their backs in a hump-like manner, hence the name: humpback
whale. When they go under they flash their enormous tail—a truly impressive
sight.

There are endless places along the Riviera Nayarit to enjoy whale-watching
tours, starting from Nuevo Vallarta to Bucerías, Punta de Mita, Sayulita and
Rincón de Guayabitos, and all along the coast towards Santiago Ixcuintla,
passing through San Blas.

The facts:

The humpback whale is the fifth largest whale in the world. They’re
between 12 to 19 meters long and weigh between 30 and 40 tons.

The population of humpback whales in the northern Pacific is
approximately 20 thousand individuals; in a normal year the Banderas Bay
registers between 300 and 500 of these mammals.